


keep a window open for me

by yesravenreyes (notsmokingcamellights)



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Friends to Lovers, References to Shakespeare, Shakespeare Quotations, Shakespearean Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:07:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24892873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notsmokingcamellights/pseuds/yesravenreyes
Summary: Gay panic strikes when Yoohyeon realizes she's falling for her co-star in an all-girls production of Romeo & Juliet.
Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Yoohyeon
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40





	keep a window open for me

**Author's Note:**

> I write for a living so I’d like to digress from that by writing trashy fics about two girls in the new K-pop group I stan. Thanks for indulging me.
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments! Enjoy my wack ass ideas yo
> 
> Title from "Window" by Carly Rae Jepsen

**1 Week Before Today**

Bora was about to head to her last class of the day when Yoohyeon burst through the door in a Jarry tank top with her hair still in a towel.

“I’ve been ghosted for the twentieth time so I’m taking a sabbatical from girls!” she smiled, triumphantly. “I’ve got several dates with my script. Zero distractions this season.” 

Bora was going to be late—and she didn’t believe a word Yoohyeon said. “That shit’s gonna last a week.” 

She could hear Yoohyeon’s annoyance as she brisk walked away. “You have no faith in me!” 

“Okay, fine—two weeks!” 

Yoohyeon lasted a week and a half. 

\--

**Present: A Week Before Opening Night**

“I think you’re only making an exercise out of your own loneliness and it can only get worse.” 

“Shut up! We’re supposed to be meditating or whatever.” 

“Then stop yelling.” 

“I’m not yelling. I’m yell-whispering.”

“Please don’t call it that.” 

The one thing Bora couldn’t get behind in their Advanced English Lit professor’s curriculum was her ongoing obsession with “immersive exercises” that were straight out of a high school theater club’s book. Now, they had to meditate as their respective characters (whatever that meant) for approximately fifteen minutes before being tasked to do a random scene. 

This wasn’t very ideal when all Bora wanted to do was either fall asleep or annoy the living daylights out of Yoohyeon for choosing to go on a dumb sabbaticcal from girls. Like she’d last. 

As if time decided to go a bit faster, Miss Yoon’s cellphone alarm went off. Instead of snapping out of the session to immediately review lines, Bora snatched Yoohyeon’s phone from beside her and immediately keyed in her lockscreen code. 

“Ho--” 

“You type really loudly and never change your code,” Bora retorted, fully bracing herself to fend off Yoohyeon’s obvious cries for help. “I’m helping you out.” 

“I told you! I’m off Bumble! For good!” 

“I love campus Fibr. And you’re welcome!” 

It only took five minutes of mindless squabbling (Yoohyeon had very thin arms and really couldn't win this one) for Bora to get ten smoking hot matches for Yoohyeon to talk to. She was already thinking of openers when Yoo snatched back her phone. 

"You can thank me after we run this scene," Bora winked. "I'm a good friend and I care about my attractive and talented co-star's dating prospects, especially because she can mention the fact that she's starring in an all-female version of Romeo and Juliet to get girls."

"Places everyone! We're doing Mercutio v. Tybalt!" Miss Yoon exclaimed, already checking scene blocking.

It seemed like absolute torture to mask her annoyance and assume the sweet, caring demeanor of Benvolio but Yoohyeon had no choice at this point. "I'm deleting the app regardless." 

"Sure."

"I'm not looking for anything! I can be single for longer!"

"Don't hurt yourself while reaching too hard, Benvolio," Bora retorted, right before heading to her blocked spot. She felt like an asshole for thinking it, but fucking with Yoohyeon's love life just before rehearsals as Mercutio definitely put Bora in the mood to say her lines. 

She mentally thanked Miss Yoon for silencing everyone just as Yoohyeon bothered to open her mouth.

\--

"The day is hot, the Capulets abroad and if we meet, we shall not scrape a brawl—"

"Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern, claps me his sword and says—"

"Cut!" Miss Yoon's voice was met with immediate silence from her actors. Bora noticed that she seemed to be squinting directly at her. Why would she though? Bora never forgot her lines. 

It didn't take long for Bora to get an answer. Miss Yoon's focus shifted, and instead, fell on the cast as a whole. "What do you guys think of a romantic reading to Benvolio and Mercutio's relationship?" 

Yubin, their Romeo, raised her hand. "I kinda see it."

"Me too," Siyeon, their Tybalt, nodded in agreement, twiddling with the sheath of her sword. "They're complete opposites too. I think the audience will love that." 

"Not too obvious though, like," chimed their stage manager, Gahyeon. She hopped up on stage and scrutinized the both of them thoroughly. Bora wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted to apply for assistant director to a production next year. 

“I think they need little gestures to represent their push-and-pull relationship. Mercutio is always impulsive, rushing into the thick of battle without concern for his own well-being,” Gahyoen explained. “Benvolio is the rock that tries to keep him grounded--the voice of reason he doesn’t listen to. We all know that won’t succeed, but it’s the best way I can interpret their relationship.” 

“And you’re right. I’ll make an assistant director out of you yet,” Ms. Yoon replied, much to Gahyeon’s immediate satisfaction. “What do my actors think?” 

Yoohyeon was the first to raise her hand. 

"Yes?" 

"Since we will be performing in a black box setup, can small gestures help portray that?" 

"Depends on what small gestures you're thinking of," Miss Yoon crossed her arms.

"Nothing too romantic, of course," Yoohyeon assured her professor. As if to experiment with the gesture, she lightly tugged on Bora's belt loop, to the other's mild surprise. 

Turning back to Miss Yoon, she began to explain. "Benvolio is at odds with Mercutio constantly but cares deeply for him throughout the play. I suppose something as simple as this while they're arguing could imply that he just wants his partner to be grounded, to listen to reason." 

"It's pretty smart, and intimate without being too out there," Bora replied, her eyes still on the belt loop in Yoohyeon's grasp. "Benvolio will get a lot of opportunities to send that message across."

"Exactly," Miss Yoon smiled, always happy to see her actors improvise even the smallest gestures for their roles. 

"How about Mercutio, though?" Bora asked. 

"And what about him?" Miss Yoon replied, crossing her arms again. "We've got a week, Bora. You can think fast." 

Bora nodded. It wasn’t like her to get stumped during rehearsals this quickly, but she could surely bounce back. “I’ll think of something distinct he can do, Miss Yoon.” 

“I’m sure you will,” Miss Yoon smiled back at her. 

\--

"...Are you having noodles on your own? Please say no."

Bora almost singed herself when she jumped back to find Yoohyeon almost (literally) breathing down the back of her neck. 

"You can text. You can call. You can knock! Why do you always come into my room without permission?" 

Yoohyeon pouted. Here we go again. "You never lock the door! And have you seen Siyeon anywhere? She barely comes back to our room and I haven't talked to her in days. The reason why I got a roommate was because I never wanted to sign up for living alone!" 

Bora quickly turned her electric stove off. "You're lucky these noodles are cooked, otherwise I wouldn't be able to register a single word you were saying just now." 

"Have you seen her?"

"Seriously? Yoo, I can't even keep track of my own roommate, let alone yours." 

Bora was waiting for a mini tantrum to come and she wasn't disappointed. Ever the drama queen, Yoohyeon flopped face-first onto Bora's bed and groaned loudly. 

Now, it seemed like a good idea to let Yoohyeon simmer while Bora transferred her cooked single serving of spicy Jin ramen noodles into a bowl. "I hope you brought your own, since I only made noodles for one!" Bora exclaimed.

"Of course I did," Yoo sat up miserably, showing Bora another pack of Jin's mild variant—probably stolen from Siyeon's stash. "Have you got--"

"Way ahead of you," Bora replied, reaching inside her refrigerator for two bottles of Chamisul soju and the shot glasses that came with them. 

"So tell me, Kim Yoohyeon," she began, poring just a little bit more soju in Yoohyeon's glass. "What's got you so worked up now?"

\--

Bora never thought someone could eat Jin ramen noodles so forlornly, but here was Yoohyeon, proving her wrong. 

"I just don't get it," Bora said, taking a shot of soju. "You met someone nice. Thanks to me, by the way. You got back to her place. And here you are looking like you just failed a midterm. What's the deal? Are you in love with her?" 

"No, no," Yoohyeon replied, sighing in frustration. "I just didn't feel anything."

"Isn't that the point, though? I mean, you don't even want to talk to her anymore." 

"I know but," Yoohyeon replied, visibly at a loss for words. "That's the problem, Bora, it's always been. I meet these girls who are cute enough. We talk for a bit. I go home with them. It happens again with different girls and what I feel doesn't change." 

Bora knew Yoohyeon had a hard time expressing her feelings, so she had to probe. "And that means?" 

"It means that I didn't think it could be possible that I'd feel lonelier with a stranger beside me. But here we are," Yoohyeon replied softly. 

Yoohyeon took a small sip of soju, and Bora felt a fresh pang of guilt settle on her chest. The air between them didn't quite feel the same. 

“It’s been happening with stranger after stranger and frankly, I’m sick of it,” Yoohyeon finally said, smiling as if it took this long to convince herself. Knowing Yoohyeon, that was probably the case. She took one more sip of soju and shrugged. “I want to have something real for once. Something that isn’t mine for just a day, or a week, or a month.” 

“Alright, tell you what,” Bora began, before she could stop herself. She didn’t know where she was going with this proposition, but she’d be damned if she didn’t try to help Yoohyeon in the process. “If you fall in love with someone soon, I’ll spot you if you confess to her. I’ll cover anything you have planned for a first date. Consider it extra motivation.” 

Yoohyeon only stared back at her in disbelief. “And where did your broke college theater kid ass get the money to cover a whole date?” 

“Like I don’t have my ways!” Bora exclaimed. “Remember when I skipped out on audition season last week? I had rapping, singing, and dancing lessons scheduled with kids who haven’t even bought training bras yet. You forget how desperate kids are these days to be idols. You thought your producing gigs were the only ones looking for us to do the same work pros do at half the price?” 

“Come to think of it, you were away a lot those few months,” Yoohyeon replied, no doubt trying to recall if she did see Bora during that season at all. 

However, she wasn’t going to let this go easily. “So you’ll try?” 

The last time Yoohyeon looked this resigned was at their last cast party, when she was dared to impersonate Adam Driver’s impromptu musical number at the end of Marriage Story. “You won’t leave me alone about this even if I say no, right?” 

“You know me so well,” Bora smirked, clinking her shot glass with Yoohyeon’s. 

\--

**Benhoerio [10:51]:** You haven’t touched our group essay doc in like, 10 minutes what’s taking so long 

**Mercutio eat ass [10:53]:** I was taking a shit dude u know me I can take a crack at it at 6 am and this will all be fine.

**Benhorio [10:57]:** Okay, but you’re printing

**Mercutio eat ass [11:02]:** Duh

**Benhorio [11:05]:** Hennyways,,, Siyeon hasn’t come back from whoever’s house her vag is crashing in

**Mercutio eat ass [11:10]:** Ok

**Benhorio [11:13]:** I can’t sleep

**Mercutio eat ass [11:15]** : Ok

**Benhorio [11:17]:** I went on a YouTube Dark Hole binge and watched Lindsay Ellis’ video essay on CATS the musical and I have to watch it please watch it with me

**Mercutio eat ass [11:30]:** R u gonna bother me so much if I say no I don’t want to

**Benhorio [11:40]:** Ya cos ur editing the paper at 6 am and in order for me to trust u, u have to watch Tom Hooper’s CATS w/ me

**Mercutio eat ass [11:50]:** >:(

**Benhorio [11:55]:** I’m right outside let me in

\--

Bora immediately forgave Yoohyeon after she set her eyes on the other girl’s two full bottles of Merlot. Even though Bora thought she was Not Going To Have A Good Time, at least Yoohyeon was coming through with alcohol, only apt considering that they were about to watch what is clearly the greatest flop of Tom Hooper’s career. 

All of this she expected, but the video camera was new. 

“Really?” Bora frowned. “When it’s midnight and I forgot to moisturize tonight? This is what you do to me?” 

“Relax,” Yoohyeon replied, one hand reaching for the open bag of Cheetos on Bora’s side table, her other hand filming Bora with a video camera that must have been at least five years old. “I pretty much turned my side of the dorm into a mini studio and you don’t expect me to take dumb videos of my friends? It’s like you don’t know me at all, Bora.” 

Bora made sure to mimic every single word that came out of Yoohyeon’s mouth, sticking her tongue out at the camera for good measure. Not like Yoohyeon minded–she thought it was hilarious. 

“Can you pick good shots if you’re gonna surprise me sometime, please?” Bora shot back. “Like nice shots of my ass maybe? No filming when clearly my eyebags want to remind me that they, too, need to be seen?” 

To her horror, Yoohyeon comically bent down, her camera following. “Either the lighting’s terrible or maybe you don’t have much of an ass to speak of.” 

“Shut! Up!” Bora retorted, kicking away at the camera, her tiny dorm room echoing with Yoohyeon’s laughter.

\--

“The great thing about this scene is,” Yoohyeon began, almost like she was renowned critic and theater guru Lindsay Ellis herself. “that this was never supposed to be a solo. It’s always been sung by two cats but Taylor Swift pretty much demanded a ‘Macavity’ solo and she got it. Nevermind if they had to fuck up the whole arrangement!” 

“And she got an original song in there, too,” Bora shrugged. “It wasn’t even that good.” 

“Exactly!” Yoohyeon beamed back at her. “God, I love theatrical train wrecks.” 

As much as Bora couldn’t believe what she was actually seeing, the sheer atrocity of the CATS film couldn’t get her to look away. Not when Yoohyeon was constantly providing a stream of hilarious commentary right next to her in a messy bun, loose tank top, and glasses that were too big for her face. She was leaning on Bora’s shoulder, just close enough for Bora to see her cheeks lightly dusted with pink from the wine. 

It’s not that Bora never thought Yoohyeon was attractive. It’s just that this was always a matter of fact to her, which was why she did things like tease her for being eternally single or bug her to start dating other women again. The  _ proximity  _ of Yoohyeon’s attractiveness never really got to her, not until Yoohyeon started barging into Bora’s room (frequently unannounced) and making her laugh like there was no tomorrow. Bora didn’t know what to think about it just yet, not when equally confusing imagery was being shown to her right at that very moment. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” Bora whispered. 

“It better be a good one,” Yoohyeon answered back, a hand reaching for their shared popcorn bowl. Her eyes never left the screen. 

“I think,” Bora began. “Taylor Swift can still get it as a CGI cat.” 

“You are absolutely disgusting,” Yoohyeon responded. Bora held her breath. “But absolutely correct. I have divulged this attraction to no one and yet–” 

“She’s a sexy cat!” Bora replied, defensively. “What the hell am I supposed to do about that? Not think thoughts?” 

“No, no, you’re valid,” Yoohyeon laughed in the dorkiest way possible again. “It’s just that it’s hard for me to reconcile my hatred towards Andrew Lloyd-Webber when I know he’s buddies with my divalicious wife, Taylor.” 

“I just don’t get it,” Bora said, temporarily leaving Yoohyeon’s side to go pour another glass of wine for the both of them. She thought she saw Yoohyeon pout, but she wasn’t sure if the alcohol was messing with her perception. “Like how can you still be a fan when he fired Patti LuPone of all people–no warning, no anything!” 

“Exactly!” Yoohyeon exclaimed back. “He left writing credits off CATS too for his collaborator, and who does that? It’s a musical about cats! Chill out, Andrew!” 

“Miss Yoon is a huge fan,” Bora rolled her eyes. “She’s a great mentor and everything, but I feel like if I said one word about Sir Andrew in that class, she wouldn’t even consider me for an ensemble role.” 

“Don’t get me started about my roommate,” Yoohyeon pouted, accepting another full glass of wine. “Siyeon’s unhealthy addiction to  _ The Phantom of the Opera  _ can’t be remedied by even one full run of  _ Fun Home. _ ” 

“ _ Phantom  _ did not deserve to run that long,” Bora sighed, taking a sip of wine. “Maybe if theater kids let  _ Next to Normal  _ run for years instead, we wouldn’t be overlooked by Hollywood hopefuls more often than not.” 

“Amen!” Yoohyeon exclaimed, toasting Bora. Later on, when Bora would look back on this moment, she would blame the wine. “Maybe if I were in love with you instead, I wouldn’t have to worry about hiding all my terrible Broadway takes from the next girl.” 

Bora’s pulse quickened, but that was fine. She was just drinking–that’s all. And because this was what Bora thought, she slid in much closer to Yoohyeon this time–close enough that she could just hear the other girl hold her breath.

“I mean,” Bora shrugged. “Considering how hideous you are, I don’t think the thought would ever cross my mind anyway.” 

Yoohyeon took a considerable sip out of her own glass before attempting to match Bora’s cocksure expression with her own. “Really? I’m hideous? The girl whom you want set up with every other South Korean bachelorette?” 

When Bora would look back at this moment, she would blame three things: the wine, the circumstances, and Yoohyeon smirking right back at her. “I mean,” she shrugged. “maybe I just don’t know what I’m missing out on.” 

Yoohyeon moved closer to her, and Bora felt her resolve begin to break. “Maybe you don’t.” 

Bora leaned in, just a few inches this time. She paused when she caught Yoohyeon shift her gaze from Bora’s eyes to her lips. “And what are you supposed to do about it?” 

When Yoohyeon’s lips collided with her own, it felt like lightning. 

Bora didn’t know whether to pay attention to Yoohyeon’s tongue swiping past her lips, a greedy hand at her waist, another pulling her hair  _ just right _ . It was messy, and electric, and totally unexpected, but all she knew was that she didn’t want to stop. She could stay here all night, straddling Yoohyeon and making her beg for more. 

When she finally did register what song they were making out to at that moment, Bora couldn’t contain herself. She pulled away, and Yoohyeon’s gaze turned worried–looking desperately for something in Bora’s expression that meant she did something wrong. “Don’t worry,” Bora reassured her, a little breathlessly. “I definitely want to continue. Just not to ‘Mr. Mistoffelees.’” 

“Right,” Yoohyeon laughed nervously. “Hang on, my phone’s connected to the speakers.” 

Yoohyeon switched the TV off and started scrolling through her Spotify playlists. It seemed to take her longer than usual. Bora leaned back, and was suddenly incredibly interested in the dorm room’s wall decor. “It’s a Tame Impala cover and–” 

“Fuck it,” Bora replied, clicking the song instantly. “It’s a little cliche, but it will do.” 

She was very pleased to discover that she clicked on  _ Same Ol’ Mistakes  _ by Rihanna and they were right back to where they started. “Is this fine?” Yoohyeon asked, her hand shyly moving underneath Bora’s loose tee. 

“I’m gonna do you one better,” Bora smirked, taking off her shirt and tossing it to the other side of the room. Based on Yoohyeon’s expression, it turned out to be a good idea that she chose not to wear a bra tonight. “Don’t be too speechless or we might not get anything done.” 

To Bora’s surprise, Yoohyeon did not come up with a sicker comeback and instead, left a trail of kisses up her chest that rendered Bora speechless. When Yoohyeon came up for air, Bora kissed her back roughly, her hand tugging impatiently at Yoohyeon’s own shirt. 

Yoohyeon pulled back from her abruptly when she heard the doorbell ring, and it took everything in Bora to not cry out in frustration. Siyeon’s timing was impeccable, as always. 

Bora’s gaze frantically searched the room, and that familiar feeling of dread washed over her. “Yoo, do you happen to know where I tossed out my shirt?” 

Yoohyeon quickly looked behind her and back to Bora in panic. “I… I don’t know.” 

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
